It’s
been said that the course of social and political history in Latin America
swings like a pendulum, shifting from one extreme to another, in a seemingly
endless cycle. After much of Latin
America was dominated with ideals of nationalism and socialism, its history
once again began to turn towards “new” ideologies: Neoliberalism.
Neoliberalism was, in a sense, a rebirth of previous liberal
ideals, which emphasized the importance of free trade and privatization. It was a resurgence of older liberal
ideals that had evolved with the times.
In response to the long-standing hegemonic European influence,
neoliberalism emerged in the wake of a newfound honor for non-European cultural
ties, such as its native and African roots. Transculturation helped shape these ideals, which could be seen
specifically through fine arts, such as Afro-Brazilian martial arts dance, Capoeira, and religious movements, such
as the rise in Protestantism. These changes attest to the continuous cultural swing
apparent in Latin American history.
The
interesting thing is, this pendulum phenomenon can be observed in American
history as well. In its most
apparent form, we sway between political ideologies: Right wing and left
wing. Many times, an elected
president is affiliated with the opposite party of their predecessor. During times of Republican president or
congress, the American Public criticizes those in power, expressing
pro-democratic sentiments, and vice versa. We can see the continuous shift, which really does not seem
to change at all. While this back
and forth in political ideals is seemingly impossible to stop, it can be said
that these cultures evolve in various ways.
This
pendulum effect in Latin America also gave rise to an issue that directly
affects the United States: Immigration.
As many Latin Americans began to migrate north to the United States, it
became clear that the cultural, political, and social dynamics were going to
evolve, once again.
Spanish-speaking television programs, the introduction of many diverse
and “foreign” food options and preferences, and the adoption of other cultural
behaviors and ideals opened up the United States to a variety of cultural
changes. By integrating old and
new elements into social history, America continues swinging back and forth
between extremes, while evolving and adapting in ways that are often more
apparent in retrospect.
It
is interesting to observe how a culture or a particular society turns away from
an “outdated model” of functioning, only to return and make it new after
another model proves unsuccessful.
This is the general concept behind neoliberalism. The idea that a new system can emerge
from a less successful one; that society and culture is continuously adapting
to the social climate. Recognizing
these patterns in the history of our world is important, if not crucial, to
developing a future that perhaps, will prove we no longer need extremes, but
rather, enable us to find a balance between the far right and far left.
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